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Interview with the winners |
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THE NORTH FACE ADVENTURE TROPHY
Team: Salomon Navigator
Members: Justyna Frączek, Sławek Łabuziński, Andrzej Ulidowski, Paweł Moszkowicz
Total time: 55:21 h
Salomon Navigator on the winning stand
What did you think about this race? Did you expect to win it?
We planned to be on the top but a few other competitors we knew were very strong, like Speleo Salomon and other two Czech teams. We know them very well and we were not sure who might be the best.
We rather concentrated on our performance than competitors'. We wanted to do good work and make it smooth on transitions, prepare the tactics for the race. We didn't think about the place we would take place at the end, but we knew we should be on the top three places.
What do you think was the key to the succes on this race?
Our plan was that we should be strong on the begining of the race in the Tatra mountains. Just at the end of this stage there was 23 km of orienteering and our team member Pawel Moskowich is very strong in orienteering and we thought we could gain some advantage at this stage. If we tried to run away from other teams at this orienteering stage we could somehow keep the distance and be on top.
Ascending and descending section / day 3
Are you surprised that only 5 teams finished the race?
Before the race I thought that most of the teams would finish but one day before the race we received the maps. Reading the maps it went obvious that it was very demanding race with high altitudes and we thought that it might not be that easy. The distance 370 km is not that long, it's like standard, but the very begining of the race in the Tatra mountains vas very strong so not every team could finish the race. Last year the distance of this Tatra section was only a half of the distance than this year.
What was good or bad during the race?
The first mountaineering stage was very difficult but was also very beautiful from landscape perspective. The mountains were all in snow, we had a great weather so it was something special for me.
On the second night we had some problems with sleep. We had a small crisis. At the same time our college had problems with breathing, so we thought we might not finish the race. That was not a nice moment of the race.
Finish line after 55 hours, 21 minutes
What about organization of the race?
We know people here and we always enter the races organized by them (Compass). There was no problems. Every point was located exactly as marked on the map, referees are helpfull. It's quite safe and well organized. They have a lot of experience with organization.
By your opinion, did local teams had an advantage because of knowing Tatra mountains and local terrains?
Well I believe that every team that has good knowledge of orienteering can compete very well on the race. It's not about knowing the mountains. Because anyway in the mountains you have to move on the normal track acceptable for turists so you don't have much orienteering there. You need to be strong. But there are sections where orienteering is crucial and you may loose one hour or win one hour against other teams. So knowing the local perspective can help but not to win or to loose.
Rope works on the last part of the race
What are your plans for this year?
At the end of the winter we raced on Bergson Winter Challenge and ended on second place which gave us qualifications for championships in Scotland but due to budget constrains we are not going to Scotland and we will race in series of short races in Poland called Salomon cup. The first race is called Gringo is organized in June this year. Maybe we will go in september to race in Croatia.
Are other race included in EA cup not interesting for you?
Offcourse it is interesting and we wish to be in other races and we would be very happy to be there but only two of us have normal standard work so at the moment we can not afford to go to races abroad.
I would like to invite other european teams to come to Poland and race on polish race because we have beautiful terrains and it might also be interesting for other teams. Andrzej Ulidowski |
